It’s appropriate that we’re publishing the new framework for social work education on World Social Work Day, which this year has the theme ‘Co-Building Hope and Harmony: A Harambee Call to Unite a Divided Society’.
This theme highlights the vital role of social work in bringing people together across communities, cultures and systems to shape a more inclusive and sustainable tomorrow. The new framework echoes this by recognising the unique identity of the social work profession and social workers’ contribution to society.
Changes
We’ve seen lots of changes over the past 20 years since the original Framework for Social Work Education in Scotland was published in 2003. Social work practice has evolved, different challenges and pressures have emerged and advances in technology have introduced new ways of working.
Through our engagement with social workers, social work students, those delivering social work education and people with lived experience of social work services, we’ve learned what’s important for social work education and professional development.
The result is Valuing Practice: Scotland’s Framework for Social Work Education and Learning providing one national development framework for social work education and learning from starting university to retirement.
The framework is underpinned by our:
- Scottish Requirements for Social Work Education
- Standards in Social Work Education and Ethical Principles
- Standards for Post-qualifying Education and Learning in Social Work.
Post-qualifying
It’s the first time we’ve had Standards for Post-qualifying Education and Learning in Social Work, which I’m especially pleased about.
We built on the newly qualified social worker (NQSW) standards developed for the Supported Year in Practice to create standards to support the professional development of social workers at any stage of their career.
Within each standard there is a progression across four levels, from consolidation to advancement of the core knowledge, skills and values evidenced in social work practice and within the context of strategic and operational partnerships. The four levels set out in the post-qualifying standards are:
- NQSW
- social worker
- advanced social worker
- strategic social worker.
The standards enable professional development for practitioners at all levels whether they work in the statutory or non-statutory sector, as well as those in multidisciplinary and non-traditional social work settings. They recognise practitioners can become ‘advanced’ without needing to move into a leadership or management position.
Themes
Ethical principles, values and rights-based practice are the foundation for both the Standards in Social Work Education (SiSWE) and post-qualifying standards and run throughout.
Emotional wellbeing and trauma informed practice are also a vital part of the framework. It’s important that social work practitioners look after themselves and peers in what is a challenging profession.
Other themes in the framework include leadership capabilities, managing complexity, research mindedness and reflective practice. All key skills to support decision making, evidence-based practice and improvement.
I’m delighted to welcome publication of the framework and am sure it will provide a solid foundation for the social work profession for many years to come.